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Google could lose spot as default search on iOS and OS X

Google can lose its spot as the default search engine in Apple's Safari web browser next year. The deal Google has with Apple ends in 2015. Both Microsoft and Yahoo are in talks with Apple about a new search deal, according to a new report. And Apple has already replaced Google with Bing in Siri, so it could be possible they will do the same in the Safari web browser on both iOS and OS X.

Any change on Apple's part would impact mobile search market share, though it's likely many consumers would quickly switch their preference back to Google. But others might not bother, giving a potential ad revenue boost to either Yahoo or Bing. For several years now, Apple has been trying to separate itself from Google's services. In some of those cases, the strategy has worked; YouTube no longer ships as part of iOS, a change that consumers quickly adjusted to.